Aziz Ansari Signs Deal for Book About Dating in Digital Age

The latest in news of celebrity book deals we’re actually excited about, Aziz Ansari has signed a deal with Penguin Press. According to Publishers Weekly, Ansari will receive $3.5 million to write a book about the contemporary dating scene. Yes, that says $3.5 million.

The Parks and Recreation star’s book will focus on the way social media and new technologies have changed the game—a theme he’s been toying with in recent standup performances, where he’s asked audience members to see their text conversations with a person they’re courting. Penguin’s press release for Ansari’s upcoming novel describes just this. It reads as follows:

“You know when you text someone you’re romantically interested in and you don’t hear anything back and then you see them post a photo of a pizza on Instagram? That’s exactly what I want this book to deal with. These are strange conundrums that no generation has ever faced before and it’s a fascinating jumping off point for what I hope will be a very interesting book about modern courtship.”

It seems a good subject for the comedian whose past stand-up routines have included commentary on the horror of texting girls.